Paul David Adkins

  War Story #56: A Long Day
               
              It was a day like any long day, 
              flying into Iraq. 
              My sleep skittish, I slumped 
               
              on the terminal floor, 
              body armor shucked, an ecto-skin. 
              Aboard the plane wearing armor 
               
              and helmet, with weapon, laptop 
              and assault pack on my lap. 
              My hands and feet rebelled.
              When we landed I could barely stand. 
              At the tent in Baghdad 
              the cot 
               
              forgave my weight. I closed my eyes 
              finally, to the day. Yet moored 
              by the thick ropes of my life 
               
              which slackened, tightened conversely 
              as I slept.  
               
             War Story #54: Fruit Stand
               
              It must have seemed funny to the Iraqis. 
              A convoy hit an IED, a small one~
              no one hurt, no damage. 
              The commander who literally pissed himself, 
              hopped out and tottered 
  to the stand with his terp to ask  
  who knew anything 
              about it. Out of breath, stuttering 
              a frightened Elmer Fudd. It must have seemed funny 
              because the fruit stand owner laughed 
              at him as he spoke. The customers 
              laughed. Women and children 
              laughed. First snickers and giggles then 
               
              unhideable guffaws. Finger-pointing, 
              head-shaking, tear-drawing 
              laughter. Laughter escorting the commander 
              back to his truck where he retrieved 
              from the trunk a baseball bat and two SAW gunners. 
              The laughter quieted. 
               
              The customers stepped back 
              and the store owner ducked 
              as the commander suddenly swung his bat 
              into the melons, dates, soda cans,
  water bottles, oranges. 
              Now laughter perked up from the Humvees, 
               
              the guards, the commander screaming,
              Who's laughing now,
              as his pulp-dripping bat rose and fell. 

	  Glossary   
              terp: interpreter 
              SAW: Squad Automatic Weapon, a light 
  machine gun 
              
	  _____ 
              
  Paul David Adkins graduated from Washington 
  University with an MFAW in poetry. He has served 
  in the U.S. Army, touring twice in  Iraq and 
  in Afghanistan.